Our experts on Joseph Smith would have no difficulty at all condemning Jesus. They could have been of real assistance to the high priest when he was embarrassed because his witnesses contradicted each other—”their witness agreed not together” (Mark 14:56 [Mark 7:17], 59). The Sanhedrin could have used the useful theory that such disagreement was proof positive that Jesus had been deceiving all those people. And to what did the diligent perjurers bear witness? It was the old story: “We heard him say . . . ” “Once he told me . . . ” (Mark 14:58 [Mark 7:17]; Matthew 26:61 [Matt. 12:14]). In vain the Lord pointed out that he did not make secret disclosures to individuals (John 18:20-21 [John 10:4]). They convicted him in the end for claiming he was the Messiah (Matthew 26:65 [Matt. 12:15]; Mark 14:63 [Mark 7:18])—which was legally no crime at all.
Howe: Hold on a minute here! Badly garbled though these accounts may be, they still must have had an original.
They may be widely ranging variations on a theme—but somebody or something furnished the theme in the first place. Say what you will, there must be something behind all this, and it must concern Joseph Smith!
Before Annas & Caiaphas; Peter’s Denial
They cannot get two witnesses to tell the same story, so the high priest asks him directly and he answers directly, which is all the evidence they needed. Outside in the courtyard, at the same hour, the disciple who swore he would die with him is warming his hands and saying he does not know the man.
Tap a Gospel to show or hide its column. Narrow to any two to read them side by side.
Note. The two Synoptics that carry the hearing are revised in the same place and in the same words; John, who was inside the palace and wrote it down, is not revised at all. Mark gains the ending the other Gospels already had (Peter went out and wept bitterly) and adds something they do not have: he fell upon his face.
? How to read this edition
The reading is the Joseph Smith Translation, in the text of the Covenant Christian Edition, carried beside each Gospel and set against the King James baseline. Headers give both numbering systems: the CCE chapter and verse, and the traditional KJV reference.
57And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. 58But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest’s palace, and went in, and sat with the servants to see the end.
59Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death, 60but found none. Yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none they found none that could accuse him. At the last, came two false witnesses 61and said, This man said, I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days. 62And the high priest arose and said unto him, Do you answer nothing? Do you know what these witness against you?
63But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure you by the living God that you tell us whether you are the Christ, the Son of God. 64Jesus said unto him, You have said. Nevertheless, I say unto you, hereafter shall you see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of Heaven. 65Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He has spoken blasphemy. What further need have we of witnesses? Behold, now you have heard his blasphemy. 66What do you think? They answered and said, He is guilty of death. 67Then they did spit in his face, and buffeted him, and others smote him with the palms of their hands, 68saying, Prophesy unto us, you Christ. Who is it that smote you?
69Now Peter sat outside in the palace, and a damsel came unto him, saying, You also were with Jesus of Galilee. 70But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what you say. 71And when he had gone out into the porch, another maid saw him and said unto them that were there, This man was also with Jesus of Nazareth. 72And again he denied, with an oath, saying, I do not know the man. 73And after a while came unto him they that stood by and said to Peter, Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you. 74Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crowed. 75And Peter remembered the words of Jesus, which he said unto him: Before the cock crows, you shall deny me three times. And he went out and wept bitterly.
53And they led Jesus away to the high priest, and with him were assembled all the chief priests, and the elders, and the scribes. 54And Peter followed him afar off, even into the palace of the high priest. And he sat with the servants and warmed himself at the fire.
55And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus, to put him to death, but found none. 56Though many bore false witness against him, yet their witness agreed not together. 57And there arose certain men and bore false witness against him, saying, 58We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands; 59but neither did their witness agree together.
60And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, saying, You answer nothing? Do you not know what these witness against you? 61But he held his peace and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him and said unto him, Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? 62And Jesus said, I am, and you shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of Power, and coming in the clouds of Heaven. 63Then the high priest rent his clothes and said, What need have we of any further witnesses? 64You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death. 65And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face and to buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophesy. And the servants did strike him with the palms of their hands.
66And as Peter was beneath in the palace, there comes one of the maids of the high priest; 67and when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him and said, You also were with Jesus of Nazareth. 68But he denied, saying, I know not, neither do I understand what you say. And he went out into the porch, and the cock crowed. 69And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them who stood by, This is one of them. 70And he denied it again. And a little after, they who stood by said again to Peter, Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean and your speech agrees with theirs. 71But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom you speak. 72And the second time the cock crowed. And Peter called to mind the words which Jesus said unto him — Before the cock crows twice, you shall deny me three times — and he when he thought thereon, he wept went out, and fell upon his face, and wept bitterly.
54Then they took him, and led him, and brought him into the high priest’s house; and Peter followed afar off.
55And when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the hall and were seated together, Peter sat down among them. 56But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him and said, This man was also with him. 57And he denied him, saying, Woman, I know him not. 58And after a little while, another saw him and said, You are also of them. And Peter said, Man, I am not. 59And about the space of one hour, another confidently affirmed, saying, Truly, this man was also with him, for he is a Galilean. 60And Peter said, Man, I know not what you say. And immediately while he yet spoke, the cock crew. 61And the Lord turned and looked upon Peter, and Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crows, you shall deny me three times. 62And Peter went out and wept bitterly.
63And the men who held Jesus mocked him and smote him. 64And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face and asked him, saying, Prophesy: who is it who smote you? 65And many other things blasphemously spoke they against him.
66And as soon as it was day, the elders of the people, and the chief priests, and the scribes came together and led him into their council, saying, 67Are you the Christ? Tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you, you will not believe. 68And if I also ask you, you will not answer me nor let me go. 69Hereafter shall the Son of Man sit on the right hand of the Power of God. 70Then said they all, Are you then the Son of God? And he said unto them, You say that I am. 71And they said, What do we need of any further witness? For we ourselves have heard of his own mouth.
13and led him away to Annas first — for he was father-in-law to Caiaphas, who was the high priest that same year. 14Now Caiaphas was he who gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.
15And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple — that disciple was known unto the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest, 16but Peter stood at the door outside. Then went out that other disciple who was known unto the high priest, and spoke unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter. 17Then says the young woman that kept the door unto Peter, Are you not also one of this man’s disciples? He says, I am not. 18And the servants and officers stood there, who had made a fire of coals (for it was cold and they warmed themselves), and Peter stood with them and warmed himself.
19The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples and of his doctrine. 20Jesus answered him, I spoke openly to the world. I ever taught in the synagogue and in the temple where the Jews always assemble, and in secret have I said nothing. 21Why do you ask me? Ask them who heard me what I have said unto them. Behold, they know what I said. 22And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers who stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Do you answer the high priest so? 23Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil, but if well, why do you smite me? 24Now Annas sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest.
25And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. They said therefore unto him, Are you not also one of his disciples? He denied it and said, I am not. 26One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, says, Did I not see you in the garden with him? 27Peter then denied again and immediately the cock crowed.
Their Witness Agreed Not Together
Nibley wrote The Myth Makers as a mock courtroom, cross-examining the nineteenth-century affidavit-collectors who assembled the case against Joseph Smith. Halfway through the cross-examination he stops and points at this hearing, because the standard of evidence being used in the one place is exactly the standard that was used in the other.
W. Graham: But these people only seem to disagree; “these conflicting stories only appear to be at variance as to the origin of the much-discussed plates.”
Chairman: And if they appear to be at variance, it is only because they are. If not, why have such pains been taken to attribute their variations to the Smiths? Why should contradictory statements be damning when the Smiths make them and only apparent contradictions when their enemies make them? We have been told by Mr. Sheldon that “the different stories which Smith himself told about the plates of the Book of Mormon impeach his honesty and veracity in the matter.” Now, if it can be shown that the people who report those stories, and who are the only authority for them, frequently tell different tales on their own authority in situations in which the Smiths cannot possibly be implicated, does not that impeach their honor?
The three verses Nibley leans on (Mark 14:56 and 59, and John 18:20–21) are all in this section’s columns, and John 18:20–21 is the answer the JST leaves entirely untouched: “I spake openly to the world… in secret have I said nothing.”
Caiaphas Knew What He Was Asking
Caiaphas is normally read as a politician, and his two famous lines (“it is expedient that one man should die for the people,” which John recalls at verse 14, and “tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God”) as cynicism and entrapment. Barker reads both as the remains of an older knowledge: the high priest still knew what the office had been for, and what the Messiah was expected to do.
It was believed - how widely we do not know - that the Messiah would destroy the temple built by the group from Babylon and build a new, true temple. Using the convention of describing the people of Israel as sheep, 1 Enoch predicted that the old house would be folded up and carried away, and the LORD of the sheep would erect a new house (1 Enoch 90.28-29). In Matthew’s (and Mark’s), account of Jesus’ trial, witnesses claimed that Jesus said: ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days’; to which Caiaphas replied: ‘Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God’ (Matt.26.61 [Matt. 12:14],63). The high priest, then, expected the Messiah, the Son of God, to destroy and rebuild the temple. In the opening scene of his gospel, John used these same titles to introduce Jesus, but added two more: the King of Israel and the Lamb of God, ‘Lamb’ being the other meaning of the Aramaic word ‘Servant’. John chose titles that present Jesus as one of the sacral kings of the first temple : he had John the Baptist identify Jesus as the Lamb of God, the one on whom the Spirit came to mark him as the Son of God; then he had Andrew tell Simon Peter ‘We have found the Messiah’; and then Nathanael saying ‘You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel’ (John 1.33-34 [John 1:5], 41, 49).
Throughout his gospel, John presents the Jews as a group who have not only rejected the ways of the original temple; they have forgotten them. They no longer understand them. As he presents his case, John uses bitter irony against those he calls the Jews, culminating with his account of Good Friday. He has Pilate say to the Jews: ‘Behold your King’; and he has the chief priests answer: ‘We have no king but Caesar’ (John 19.14-15 [John 10:11]). John described the crucifixion as the moment when Jesus was ‘raised up’ (John 3.14 [John 2:2]; 8.28; 12.32, 34), and here the allusion is to the LORD whom Isaiah saw in the temple, high and lifted up, and also to the Servant who was exalted and lifted up before he suffered so that his knowledge could make many righteous (Isa.52.13 [Isa. 19:1]; 53.11).
In this paper I shall set out some of the ways in which John used this first temple royal symbolism and show that he used irony to emphasise how much the Jews had lost touch with their original temple teaching and beliefs.
The Jews in John’s Gospel were the heirs of the Deuteronomic revolution, and they are frequently depicted by John as the people of the law of Moses. Jesus asked the Jews when he was in the temple at the feast of Tabernacles, ‘Did not Moses give you [not us] the Law?’ (John 7.19 [John 6:5]). When Jesus had come out of the temple, he opened the eyes of a blind man [the text says he anointed them!], and the Jews then accused the healed man of being a disciple of Jesus ‘but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he has come from’ (John 9.28-29 [John 6:21]).
Caiaphas knew enough of the ancient role of the high priest to make his bitter remark about the death of Jesus. Melchizedek, according to the Qumran Melchizedek text, was expected to return at any time and to offer the great atonement sacrifice at the end of the tenth Jubilee. The description of the day of atonement in Leviticus 16 is only an outline of the complex ancient ritual, in which the high priest, who ‘was’ the LORD, sacrificed a goat to represent the LORD and used the blood to renew the eternal covenant and inaugurate the Jubilee. At the Jubilee, everyone returned to his family and his property (Lev.25.8-12 [Lev. 13:2]). In other words, the symbolic death of the LORD brought the scattered people home. A vestige of the ancient practice survives in the amnesty for fugitives when a high priest died (Num 35.28). When the Jews were plotting to kill Jesus after the raising of Lazarus, John attributes bitter irony to Caiaphas who reminded them of something they had forgotten, the day of atonement in the original temple. ‘But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them:, “You know nothing atall; you do not understand that it is expedient that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation should not perish.” He did not say this of his own accord, but.. prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad’ (John 11. 49-52 [John 7:7]). This was the great Jubilee that Melchizedek would bring.
If Barker is right, the charge and the confession are the same sentence read from two sides. The witnesses were brought to prove he had threatened the temple; Caiaphas answered his own witnesses by asking whether he was the Messiah, because in the tradition Caiaphas had inherited, that is precisely what the Messiah would do to the temple.